Court stays demolition in Apas

CEBU, Philippines - Residents of the Four Roses Homeowners Association in Apas momentarily heave a sigh of relief after the Regional Trial Court yesterday granted a six-month reprieve on the scheduled demolition today.

RTC Judge Olegario Sarmiento gave the residents another six months to stay out of humanitarian reason and in deference to the request made by Mayor Michael Rama.This is the second extension given by the court to the 102 homeowners affected by the impending demolition. The first extension is supposed to end today.

Rama asked the court on March 29 to defer the scheduled demolition to allow the affected families to consider their options and to give them ample time to look for relocation sites.

“I would like to just say that these are my constituents and the city had passed three successive ordinances declaring the said lot as socialized housing site in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 7279 or Urban Development and Housing Act,” Rama’s letter reads.

Republic Act 7279 which provides an option, among others, for these settlers as identified beneficiaries, to buy the lot where their houses are standing.

Rama said that based on their study the subject private property can be a subject of urban land reform through expropriation.

“These settlers have been there since the start of the existence of Barangay Apas in 1956 as part of the Enlisted Men’s Barrio. Most if not all of the settlers are retired soldiers and their families who constructed their homes with the permission of the AFP,” Rama said.

Rama added, the residents are therefore builders in good faith and the city cannot in good conscience just abandon their plight.

Four Roses Homeowners Association is situated in lot no. 937 owned by Mariano Godinez. — (FREEMAN)